Plekked necks, are they much different

[burndog]

Not that I am about to spring for a new guitar, but I am curious. I watched the Plek video, and it seems pretty cool, but how does it play out in the real world. With changes in humidity and temperature things will move to some degree, and of course a neck would have to be re-adjusted if changing to different gauge of strings. I know it is not something that you pay extra for, but straight from the factory is the setup that much better than before plek technology?

[offplanetfilms]

I've never played one, and I'm sure they do feel better... but I've also wondered if a guitar would feel even sweeter if it were plekked closer to home, after being in it's final destination environment for a while. (Guitars travel a long way before they reach me!)

[sirmyghin]

They are more consistent, no other difference though. Well dressed frets and and plek are pretty indistinguishable.

[bestfor33]

I have an L-2000 bass that has been plekked and used to have an older one that wasn't and I can tell the difference, much smoother and more consistent frets. But as far as the neck moving due to humidity and temperature changes, that has nothing to do with it being plekked.

[burndog]

They are more consistent, no other difference though. Well dressed frets and and plek are pretty indistinguishable.

I kind of expected that. I would imagine coming off the machine they would be pretty sweet.

I have an L-2000 bass that has been plekked and used to have an older one that wasn't and I can tell the difference, much smoother and more consistent frets. But as far as the neck moving due to humidity and temperature changes, that has nothing to do with it being plekked.

I understand about the humidity and temp changes, I aggree, I basically just mentioned that because I figure although technically the necks should be closer to perfect, but that all changes, at least slightly with all of the variables in real everyday life...alternate tunings, string gauge, temp and humidity changes...all of these things will have a bearing on the neck.

But I guess if frets are well levelled to start with, when things change a wee bit, you will still be further ahead than if frets were not levelled as well to start with.

An interesting technology for sure. I was just curious. Thanks all for your responses.

[sirmyghin]

They are more consistent, no other difference though. Well dressed frets and and plek are pretty indistinguishable.

I kind of expected that. I would imagine coming off the machine they would be pretty sweet.

The difference between my SS fret 1.5 year old carvin with absolutely impeccable fretwork, and my fresh off the factory 2010 ASAT special (from october) is indistinguishable, with the exception SS frets are a little bit slipperier. Just to give this some basis. Comparing a older played model with a new one isn't much in terms of fairness, my SS frets have literally zero wear (that's why I love SS frets afterall)

[blargfromouterspace]

They are more consistent, no other difference though. Well dressed frets and and plek are pretty indistinguishable.

Yep. A Plek machine is a good thing to have in a factory where you put the guitar in and press a button. It must save a lot of time and would certainly do a far more consistent job of fret dressing, ensuring that the guitars leaving the factory have the best possible fret job. The guitars I have that have had a Plek set up play very nicely. My older ASAT has a very nice fret job too, I don't know if it has always been as nice as it is now (I bought it used) - it might have been a real pig when it left the factory. Even the Gibson's I've played that have had the Plek setup have been very nice .

Sure, the neck pitch may change in a year or two with weather etc. but I would imagine that any change due to climate would be easily remedied by a quarter turn of the truss rod.

I'm glad that G&L have embraced the Plek machine, and also that the guitar playing public, who are wary of changes, have taken a shine to it too. I can't recall reading anything bad about it. It must take a while to set the thing up or learn how to set it up - I can imagine that it could completely destroy the neck if calibrated incorrectly.